Behind Their Masks
by actionfactionfictionfan
Summary: Previously titled "My Name is Wally West, My Name is Kid Flash". Now a series! Not many people know who's behind their masks. Even the ones who do, don't, not really. A series of character studies revealing the deepest and most secret thoughts of the Team.
1. Wally WestKid Flash

**A/N This came to me in the middle of the day when I was literally thinking about what it means to be a hero, and everything that really contributes to the role. If you will, a character study on our favorite speedster. I obviously think deeply way too much, as this turned out to be pretty deep and somewhat depressing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Wally or Young Justice.**

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My name is Wally West. I am a superhero. But I'm not a superhero. Because I'm not who people think I am.

People practically worship superheroes. They praise them, reward them, and spread their names to the far corners of the earth. They put their names in the papers, make merchandise with their logos, and expect them to pull through and save the day.

But it seems like they always forget how tough being a superhero is. I did.

I worshipped the Flash. He was my personal hero. I wanted to be just like him. I wanted to save the day just like him. I wanted to help him. I wanted to be him, all because he was cool.

I was right about him being cool. He was my uncle. Practically the last person I would ever expect to be the Flash. And that just made him cooler.

I recreated his experiment with absolutely no patience. I was so excited that there was no way I was standing still. I danced around that homemade shed like it was Christmas morning. Being a twelve-year-old kid, I was never patient to begin with. But this was way worse. I look back on it and smile.

When I woke up in the hospital with super speed, I was beyond excited. It took a lot of convincing to get my uncle to take me on as his sidekick. Not to mention being grounded for about six months for being an idiot. But I knew it would be worth it.

All in all, it was. But there were some things I dealt with while on the job that I could have never predicted.

The Team was one. Everyone was just awesome. Robin, with his ninja skills and flat-out Batman incredible-ness. Miss Martian, with psychic powers and the ability to manipulate objects, as well as being able to fly. Aqualad, with Atlantean sorcery powers and water bearers. Conner, who was the clone of Superman. Nuff' said. And Artemis, with her bow, arrows, and pure butt-kick awesomeness.

And these guys are the ones I get to train with, fight with, and sometimes even have parties with. We stick together. When one of us falls in battle, the others are there to help before they hit the ground. When they slowly circle each other in ring with confident grins, these guys are the ones sitting on the sidelines cheering each other on.

And when we fight, they become closer than friends. They're closer than family. In those moments when I look around and see them all doing their own thing and loving it, that's when I really love them. When Artemis fires off arrows faster than I can see them. When Conner smashes that wall, steps back, and looks proud. When Aqualad swipes and slices the baddies to bits and still has that leader tone that we respect and obey. When Miss Martian psychically attacks that creepy guy who has a visible brain. And when Rob's in the background, throwing bombs and bat-a-rangs and doing a creepy cackle that makes me grin. I know I'm not the leader or anything. But it's right then that I'm proud to be Kid Flash, a member of Young Justice. Those are the moments when I'm so close to my team that it hurts.

Those are also the moments when a single decision can destroy it all.

The Team isn't the only thing I didn't expect in the hero business. I never expected the criticism. Why would anyone dislike Batman, unless one, they were the Joker, or two, they knew him personally? Even I get some criticism some of the time. Mostly constructive, but still. The criticism hurts the most, though, is the criticism that comes from my Team.

When Aqualad turns to me and asks what I was thinking. When Conner's face contorts to rage and he starts to yell. When Miss Martian frowns and tells me I shouldn't have done that. When Robin looks me in the eye and tells me I'm an idiot. When Artemis calls me Kid Mouth, Baywatch, moron, imbecile, and a million other insults. No one admits it, but insults from your family hurt worse than anything a stranger can call you.

It's my secret. I'm not the idiot I pretend to be. I'm not an idiot at all. But the world is serious enough with Batman. Someone has to keep some humor in this work. Self-dubbed jokester, right here. So when Artemis shoots out name after name, I just let it go and keep the light mood. No one thinks about that, the fact that maybe laughter is a good thing. Every time someone voices their disappointment in me and the job I did, I just remember that without me, no one would laugh except Robin. And he'd only do that creepy cackle, the one that isn't his real laugh.

I ignore the insults and tell the jokes. It's part of what makes me who I am. If there was someone else to do it, I'd let them. I'd be one of the serious ones, too. But I've had practice at being the irresponsible guy who keeps everyone from brooding. It's second nature to me at this point. When someone yells at me for goofing off, I did it because it's a habit. If I did what I feel like doing, no one would laugh. But I do it to keep us from hitting rock bottom. It's okay to see what the clouds are like.

So when the costume comes off and Kid Flash becomes Wally West, there's a second transformation involved, one that has nothing to do with outward appearances. No one seems to realize that although Kid Flash is a lighthearted jokester without a care in the world, Wally West is is a serious, thoughtful teen with a plan always in mind. But they're two different people. I have to keep them separate.

The criticism hurts sometimes. But like any good hero, I can take a hit.

Another thing I didn't expect: responsibility. Okay, so I knew there was some responsibility involved. But not as much as there is. Every time you show up, you become responsible for doing your part. For performing your duty. For not sitting g around examining your fingernails while someone else saves lives.

But you're also responsible for every mistake you make. When you miscalculate the damage done to the bad guy's armor, and try to send a powerful hit to a weak area, only to find that it's not as weak as you thought. When you don't research on how many henchmen there are, and you get ambushed. When you plan too much, and then something goes wrong, and you can't change tactics. These are the kinds of mistakes that cost lives.

That's a responsibility I pray I'll never have to have. The responsibility of having cost someone their life.

When I'm holding that little girl, a little gray-eyed, blonde-haired angel of a kid who's holding my arm and kissing me on the cheek for saving her life? Five seconds ago, she was about to be crushed by a falling boulder. What she doesn't know is that I almost didn't see her. I almost let her be killed. With milliseconds to go, I grabbed her and pulled her away. It doesn't matter that she has a bruise on her leg because I didn't get there fast enough. She's alive. And she doesn't know the guilt I feel because I almost let her die. And had I waited just a half a second longer, she would be dead.

And when it happens again, because I wait, I barely save Artemis from death when she falls. And Aqualad nearly gets his head lopped off because I don't disarm the guy with the sword soon enough. When I can barely grab Robin and run, because there's a bomb next to his head that's about to blow. When I almost don't grab the Kryptonite-headed arrow shooting toward Conner's head. And M'gann is surrounded by fire, and I almost don't create a vacuum fast enough to suck away the oxygen and put it out.

Because when I'm almost too slow, people die. And even when they don't, they almost do. And it's still my fault, because it could have happened. And it would have been on my shoulders

It's a Flash's greatest fear that he won't be fast enough. Maybe Flash can deal with the guilt, and ignore it. But I still have it. Maybe it's because he's faster than me. But the guilt is almost like a dark cloud over my head. Unlike the insults, it's not something I can ignore.

But I still try. If I'm going to be the happy-go-lucky speedster everyone "loves", I have to put myself aside and take care of the others. I put the smile on my face, ignore the shadows, and be Kid Flash.

Because Wally West isn't a hero. That's Kid Flash's job.

There's a lot more stuff I didn't expect to be in the job description of "superhero". Like a high metabolism, a short attention span, and the trouble of a secret identity. But I take it in stride as well as a teenager can.

It's my job. It's Kid Flash's job. It's Wally West's job. It's the one job both identities share.

To protect the world, and protect my team. I won't feel the guilt of their deaths. I won't let myself. Why? Because I'll die first. I'll protect the world with my life. And I pray I'll never feel the guilt of having cost someone their life.

My name is Wally West. I am a superhero. But I'm not a superhero. Because I'm not who people think I am.

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 **A/N Ask nice, and I'll make one for the other five. Maybe.**

 **In order to ask, you have to review. So review.**


	2. Artemis CrockArtemis

**A/N So, I've been off-site for a little while. Hate writer's block, don't you? Of course, lack of chocolate isn't helpful, either.**

 **I decided to continue this, because everyone who reviewed asked me to! Here goes...**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Crock or Young Justice.**

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I'm Artemis Crock. I have secrets. Dangerous secrets. Ones that people would kill to rid themselves of. Even if they had to kill themselves.

I never lived a normal life, or, rather, life as most of the world lives. My mother was in prison for a decade, my dad is an assassin, and my older sister can be described only as an enigma. Then there's me, little girl Artemis. The blonde-haired, gray-eyed, innocent baby of the family. Innocent, my foot. I'm just as much of an assassin as Cheshire. I just don't make it common knowledge.

Then again, how was I supposed to know that when I left the apartment that night, weapon in hand, it would lead to joining a superhero team, and learning to be a good guy for once in my life? I wasn't. Point made.

The Team. There's Kaldur'ahm, tall and dark, yet also patient and inviting. M'gann M'orzz, a friendly martian and the only other girl. Robin, with a mystery ID and a smirk on his face, even when he wasn't planning something. Connor Kent, the Superboy, who was practically a born hero, had he not grown in a test tube. And of course, the unforgettable Wally West.

And me, Artemis Crock, secret assassin.

When I joined this team, I thought I knew what to expect as I became a hero. Risk your life, save the world, catch the bad guy, and repeat the next day. And really, I was absolutely right. But there were a few things I didn't count on, and they didn't involve being a hero. They involved the real me, the person without the mask.

Acceptance, for one. It took them a while to accept me, especially when they were expecting Red Arrow to be the archer that joined. But I showed them my skills, my stuff, and my sass, and they accepted me, all of them, even the uber-annoying speedster. And it felt nice to be accepted. After all, I was rejected most of my life.

Except, the Artemis they accepted wasn't the real Artemis. It was almost as if they accepted a clone, programmed to behave similarly to the way I do, but not quite the same. Because they accepted a tough-as-nails, never-back-down archer, with a heart and eyes of steel.

The real me has a secret sensitive side. A side that really cares. But assassins don't care about anyone but themselves. To quote my sister, "In this family, it's every girl for herself." So I lock away the feelings, and never let them see the light of day. I can't let them see the light of day, because everyone will look at me and know my every lie and secret. And I can't let that happen.

There are a few moments, though, when my emotions surface. Megan is surrounded by fire, and she can't stay conscious. Conner is struggling to stay upright as kryptonite is shoved into his face. Kaldur smashes into the wall and falls motionlessly, and Robin is suffocating in a super-strength choke hold. Wally realizes he's out of food and out of fuel, slowly starving to death because of the one thing that makes him special.

And I care. I start panicking because they're dying, and they need help, and I have to help. So I shoot a fire extinguishing arrow at the flames, knock the kryptonite away, shield the prone form, paralyze the monstrosity, and shove an energy bar into his hands. It seems like little stuff, just things any teammate would do, but it's almost like my secret form of communicating. A silent reminder at I care about them, and that I've got their backs.

It makes me seem like a worrying old woman sometimes. But I really don't care. They're like the family I never had. They showed me acceptance. My relatives showed me rejection. They showed me the meaning of friendship. My relatives showed me betrayal. And when my family hated me, they loved me.

It sounds so corny, but it's true.

My dad is a supervillain. It seems like something it of a movie. A movie about a ninja girl whose ninja dad tried to make her kill her ninja boyfriend because he was from a rival ninja clan. He taught me nearly everything I know, give or take a few archery tips from Green Arrow. They say Green Arrow is my mentor. The irony is, he isn't. My dad is my real mentor, as much as I hate to admit.

The thing is, he would kill the Team if he could. Not the Team. My Team. My friends. My real family. And even if he isn't a dad to me, I share half of his DNA. And that scares me.

What if I'm more like Sportsmaster than I think I am? What if something were to happen? What if I went rogue? What if I do go rogue? The Team would be first target. I just know it. What if, one day, I wake up, and they're all dead? Killed by the things I tried to protect them from? Killed by the inside job?

Killed by me?

I'm an assassin. It's what I'm trained to do. And even if it's just my parents and sister who are bad, they say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I'm more of an assassin than anyone gives me credit for. No, I'm more of an assassin than anyone realizes I am. I don't want credit for being a killer, even if I am one.

Some days, I'm just waiting. Waiting for that moment when I snap. When something pushes my buttons for the final time. When I lose control, and when I finally finish, everything I worked for is gone. My confidence. My strength. My determination. My family.

That moment hasn't come yet.

I pray with every fiber of my being that it never will.

The whole hero thing has its perks, of course. Don't get me wrong. It's not all gloom and doom and killing your friends. There's an upside.

You save a civilian, and they're thankful. When you're on the dark side, the civilians are on their knees, sobbing, wailing, and crying at your feet, begging for mercy you're not allowed to show.

You save a bunch of civilians. They're celebrating, being joyous, and reuniting with their wives, husbands, children, parents, cousins, and grumpy old grandpas. As an assassin, you watch as the families are ripped apart, member by member, piece by piece.

You save the world. The world thanks you, practically worshiping you, and praising your efforts. A killer's only praise is from her master, telling her that her work of dooming entire countries was satisfactory.

As a hero, you're appreciated in a way that's special. It puts you in awe of the world, knowing how big it really is, and realizing that you, one tiny person out of seven or eight billion, helped to save it. And it amazes me. I'm never speechless, yet when we save the world, I can't find it in me to say a word.

And yeah, it's dangerous. If it wasn't dangerous, what kind of heroes would we be? But it's the danger that brings us together. It makes us unite and fight. It shows us to be strong and brave in the face of destruction. If the bad guys are the epitome of injustice, then we are justice. We bring about peace and happiness where there is none.

Sounds corny again, but it's still true.

There's very little that can taint that kind of happiness. But I suppose, that of there's anything that could, it's guilt, because every victory comes with a price.

I can protect my Team as much as I want. As much as I can, rather. As much as is physically possible for one person. But it'll never be enough. There will always be a price, no matter how low, or high, it may be. Any price, from a small bruise to a broken bone to a gunshot wound to someone's life.

It doesn't matter how small or how big the price is. I swore I'd protect them, and every time the price is paid, I feel every prick of pain that the injured one does. I shouldn't. But I do.

It's almost as if I'm trying to make up for all my past mistakes. Every wound I've inflicted, every mind I've broken, and every life I've ripped away.

I can't help but worry.

In archery, there's always a very high percentage chance that you'll miss. Sometimes, even a millimeter off target can mean the difference between life and death. My worry is that I'll miss by just that one millimeter, and everyone pays that price. My Team pays that price.

I've already got more lives on my head than I cant count. I'l die if I have to bear the responsibility for their death, too.

Or maybe, it's because they're my family.

Kaldur's the big brother. He leads us and sets an example, never erring in speech or action, because he's the one who shows us which way to go. He feels responsible for all the younger ones and watches over them as well as he can, even going so far as to sacrifice himself for their well-being.

Conner's the second oldest brother, frustrated and angry because he doesn't like to take orders. But at the same time, he knows better than anyone that he can't lead. He's the one who would be mad at the oldest for sacrificing himself, and shows him every day that the others can't work without him.

Megan is the sweet, innocent older sister. She watches out for the others in ways that the oldest never could, taking care of the simple things, and offering her gentle affection at the very moment her sibling needs it the most.

Robn is the spoiled baby brother. No one sees him come or go, but no one can miss the devastation he leaves. In spite of it all, he never gets lectures, and lives to troll another day. Every prank he plays brings a smile to someone's face, even if it's just his own.

Wally is like the troublemaking brother who never fails to fill a room with energy. He's always getting into the something new, though the others try time and time again to make him stop. But in all honesty, they never want him to. He's the only one who can cheer up Megan when she's devastated, the one to make Kaldur drop the guilt trip, the one to make Conner smile, the one to un-bore Robin, and the one who, despite it all, manages to put butterflies in my stomach when he's around.

And me. The assassin who's going to kill them all.

I fear for their lives. But as much as I want to tell them my secrets, I can't. Because I worry, and I can't deal with losing my family. My real family.

I'm Artemis Crock. I have secrets. Dangerous secrets. Ones that people would kill to rid themselves of. Even if they had to kill themselves.

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 **A/N Okay... that got scary. Then fluffy. Then scary again. Then angsty. Hope it met your expectations. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go get a shovel or something to knock down that brick wall known as writer's block. Until later, then!**


	3. Conner KentSuperboy

**A/N Here's Conner! Enjoy, guys!**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own Superboy or Young Justice.**

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I am the Superboy.

I have an Earth name.

Conner. Conner Kent.

No middle name. Don't need one.

It's stupid.

It's just a name. I came into this world as Superboy, and I'll die Superboy.

For me, it's backward. I was born with a hero name, and then gave myself a secret identity.

Not like Superman.

I'm nothing like him.

He's not my father. It's almost like we're not even related.

I don't have a real father.

Or a mother.

Or brothers. Or sisters.

I guess Match came pretty close. He was, technically speaking, my older brother.

But he was feral. Like an animal. And we were... kind of related.

So does that make me an animal?

I'm sure not human.

Not by a long shot.

Lex Luthor is no human being.

Even if I'm only half-Kryptonian, I guess the term "alien" fits me. I'm not human. I'm not Kryptonian. I'm a clone.

And clones seem to be alienated beings on Earth.

We're only wanted for our power. Our strength. Our telekinesis. Any special power, really. Or sometimes, our position in society.

Or, you know, our donor's position.

It makes me wonder. Who else wants me solely for my power? That's all Cadmus wanted me for. That's all Lex Luthor wanted me for. Ultimately, that's all the League wanted me for. For my strength. My speed. No matter where I was and who wanted me, it was always about the power that I was created to have.

Am I some kind of tool to be fought over? To be enslaved? To be used for the user's purposes? To be...

Treated... like an animal?

I'm just a clone.

We seem to be lacking something that born people have. What are we missing?

We have arms and legs. Skin. Hair. Fingers and toes. Eyes and ears. Mouths, teeth, a tongue, and lips. Organs and muscles and bones. Hands and feet. A head and a body. A mind. Human intelligence. Memories. Emotions.

We're missing something. But what?

Why shouldn't we be treated like people?

Why shouldn't I be treated like a person?

Like the hero I am?

I am a hero, right?

I wonder sometimes.

Am I human?

There's a simple answer and a hard answer.

The hard answer is that I have all the characteristics of a human, a physical body, a living force inside of me, unique DNA, thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

So, yes.

And the easy answer.

I'm human, but I'm not a person.

There's a difference.

Clones are set apart from people. We're different from them, which means there must be something wrong with us.

Superman is treated like a human. He's free to come and go as he pleases. He can be a hero or a villain if he wants. He can be a civilian who does a good deed for his neighbors, or he can be a grumpy old geezer who sits on his porch and yells at the kids on the block.

It's his choice.

I didn't get that choice. The League automatically assigned me to the Team. Assigned me to missions. Assigned me to a school. If I go to college, they'll choose that, too. They'll decide whether or not I can marry and have kids.

The only thing I really get to choose is which black shirt with a red Super Shield I'll wear each day. And who do you think chose the design?

For all I know, they'll decide which day I'll die.

Maybe I'm human. But I'm not a person. People fight over me, and I don't get to choose for myself.

So that brings me back to a previous statement.

Who wants me for my power, and who wants me for me?

I find it hard to tell.

I guess M'gann wants me for me. I don't know why, or if she even does. I like to think that she does. But I don't know.

Does my Team want me for me? For who I am, and not what I am?

I don't know.

I like to think that they do.

It's hard to tell.

Kaldur's hard to read. He's sometimes as emotionless as I wish I could be. I'm jealous of him for that, but at the same time, I'm glad I'm not emotionless like that.

Robin is hard to read for the opposite reason. He has such a vast array of moods and emotions that I'm jealous of him for that. It's strange that way.

I wish I were emotionless like Kaldur, but I also wish I could feel the way Robin does.

Is it both? I'm jealous of Robin because I can't feel emotion like that, so I try to be the opposite? Emotionless, like Kaldur?

Wally calls me Supes. Short for Superboy. I wish he'd call me Conner or Con instead. Well, maybe not Con. But does he see me as Superboy or as Conner?  
I wonder.

Artemis? I can't tell. We don't really know each other very well. She was attracted to me at first, but did she really...

Like me? For me, and not for Superboy?

M'gann is like me. She's not from here. She's not human. But at the same time, she's more human than I could ever be.

I'm jealous of her for that.

It's like I don't have a buffer zone. I want to be human, even though I'm not. I want to have emotion, but I don't want to have emotion. I want to be Superboy, but I want to be Conner.

There are some things that can't be taught telepathically, I guess.

But it still leaves me with more questions than answers.

Who wants me for my power, and who wants me for me?

The League wants me for my power. Ironically, Cadmus created me to be a weapon. For a long time, I thought that Robin, Aqualad, and Kid Flash rescued me from Cadmus and from being a weapon.

They rescued me from Cadmus. But they didn't rescue me from being a weapon. I'm still a weapon. I just don't work for Cadmus anymore.  
I work for the Justice League instead.

Maybe they don't all think that way. Maybe they think they're doing the right thing, keeping me safe, and under control.

They are. But... I didn't ask for this.

Then again, what would they have done with me instead?

What everyone else plans to do? Lock me back in my pod?

Cage me up again, like an animal. I'm not a person. Why should they care?

I'm just a clone.

A creature with animalistic impulse. Even M'gann admitted it, back in Bialya. Without memories, I was just an insane, uncontrollable creature with unbreakable skin.  
A weapon. The weapon of destruction that Cadmus made me. Ultimate, irreversible destruction.

A monster?

How am I any different from Blockbuster or the Venom creature? We both destroy things. The only difference is that they're a little taller than I am. Does it matter which side of the law we're on if we share the same purpose?

Destruction?

But sometimes, I think, things that are meant to destroy are some of the few things that can help rebuild, as well.

Like water.

Floods are destructive. Waves of terror that ravage any and everything in their paths. Floods are destructive.

But at the same time, the water they're made of grows plants, carve landscapes, and regenerate thirsty men on the dry savannah. So the water builds and rebuilds.

But the floods destroy.

Is there a difference?

Maybe.

And am I like water that way?

I think so.

Maybe there's two parts to me.

One is Superboy, the clone.

The other is Conner Kent, the person.

The clone destroys.

But the person builds and rebuilds.

The Superboy is a weapon. Created by Cadmus to replace Superman should he fall, and destroy him should he turn from the light. To destroy everything at the flick of a switch. Filled with anger, rage, and a burning hatred toward humanity, because he's not human.

But Conner Kent is different.

He's not a weapon. He's a person. He was not created, but born. He chose his own purpose, to fight against evil and use his power to save the world. He does not destroy, but protects. He experiences not only anger, but also sadness, happiness, thankfulness, joy, sorrow, confusion, annoyance, exasperation, and even affection.

He doesn't hate humans, because he is human.

Partly, anyway.

In a way, he's from Krypton. He's never been there, and never will be. He's only ever gone to Earth. Even if he's partially Kryptonian, he's lived his whole life on Earth.  
And he's glad.

He doesn't care that he's a clone. He sees what's past that. He sees the person. He sees not the Superboy, but Conner Kent.

But Superboy and Conner Kent is the same person.

So which one am I?

Both?

Maybe.

I have emotions like Conner, but there's a lot of anger, like Superboy.

I was created for a purpose, but I chose my own.

I'm a clone. But I created a life of my own for myself.

But I'm only half-human.

So that still leaves me to wonder.

What part of me is animal, and which is human?

Maybe neither.

Maybe both.

I don't really know.

Today is the day I choose to make a difference between the two. To create a new name for myself, one that is neither Superboy, nor Conner Kent.

Superman has a Kryptonian name. It's Kal-El.

And now I know.

I'm not Conner Kent, a person.

I'm not Superboy, a clone.

I am the Kryptonian between the two.

I am Kon-El.

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 **A/N There we go! Hope you liked it. If you did, reviews are greatly appreciated...  
**


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